Holding element for an insulating panel

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a holding element for an insulating panel of an insulated wall made of concrete and insulation, with a lower chord and with latticework connected with the lower chord, where the lower chord is intended for attachment to the insulating panel and the latticework for embedding in the concrete core. The lower chord consists of or comprises a U-shaped sectional rail from which the latticework having a lattice of successive undulations extends perpendicularly. The undulations of the lattice are formed by a number of individual, essentially trapezoidal bows that are arranged at a distance from each other and are positively connected to the sectional rail.

This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to European Patent Application No. 07 005 862.3, filed on Mar. 22, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a holding element for an insulating panel.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the conventional manufacture of poured concrete walls, forms are first made that are then filled with concrete. The forms are removed after the concrete has cured. As a rule, solid concrete walls have only a low thermal insulation effect. Attaching insulating panels to the outside of building walls is a familiar method for protecting them against loss of thermal energy. The insulating panels are commonly glued to the surface of the cured concrete, and if needed, are also anchored with special insulating panel holders. This is time-consuming work, involving high assembly costs. In order to avoid thermal bridging, the pattern of insulating panels is to be installed with a positive bond on the concrete of the wall with tight gaps and without metallic anchors that would extend from the outer surface of the insulating panel into the concrete wall.

Also known in the manufacture of concrete foundations is the use of “lost forms” that adhere to the foundation while the concrete is curing, and which are a component of the foundation. Hard foam insulation panels have only a limited strength and are therefore not well suited for use as forms due to their low inherent stability. Only when they are stiffened with suitable devices does it become possible to use them as “lost forms”. The most obvious method for this is to place several truss-type reinforcing elements—lattice webs, for example—with equal spacing on the surface facing the concrete, and to connect them permanently and with a positive bond to the insulating panel. Such reinforced insulating panels are able to accept and transfer the pressure of freshly poured concrete. Parts of such reinforcing elements may also protrude from the insulating panel surface, causing them to become embedded in the concrete. In addition to the adhesive bond created by the concrete, they would then also hold the insulating panel firmly on the concrete wall.

Although conventional lattice web elements are generally suitable for reinforcing insulating panels, their heavy weight makes it harder to handle the reinforced insulating panels. Furthermore, they are oversized as supports for insulating panels, thus causing unnecessary costs.

The invention addresses the problem of proposing a web-type holding element for the purpose of reinforcing an insulating panel and holding it in position; it should be of light weight, easy to attach to the insulating panel, and inexpensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an embodiment of the invention, a holding element is provided for an insulating panel of an insulated wall made of concrete and insulation, with a lower chord and with latticework connected with the lower chord, where the lower chord is intended for attachment to the insulating panel and the latticework for embedding in the concrete core. Latticework here means any kind of structure involving bars that are connected with each other and enclose interstices into which the concrete can flow.

The holding element proposed by the invention, with a lower chord and latticework attached to this lower chord, uses a sectional rail as lower chord, with the latticework perpendicular to it. The sectional rail is intended for attachment to the insulating panel, while the latticework will be embedded in the concrete.

The sectional rail can be glued to the insulating panel with suitable adhesives, thus permitting the fast and simple establishment of a positive bond with the insulating panel. In addition, no new construction techniques need to be introduced at the construction site since the gluing of insulating panels is a common process. Of course, the holding element may also be attached to the insulating panel in some other suitable manner. The latticework with its interstices offers a number of openings in the holding element that are filled by the concrete when it is poured, securing the holding element firmly in place after curing. Here, the holding elements have not only a stabilizing and holding function but can also be utilized as spacers for reinforcing grids. Insulating panels with the proposed holding elements can be used not only for the exterior insulation of walls but also for interior insulation or for the insulation of floor panels, ceiling, and roof structures.

Preferably, the latticework has a grid of successive undulations. For example, the latticework can be made simply by bending a rod. The undulations are connected with the sectional rail by means of attachment methods that are appropriate for the material and are commonly used in the industry, for example gluing, welding, riveting, flanging, etc. The holding element may also be made as one piece, thereby eliminating the need for connection techniques.

Preference is given to an embodiment where the undulations of the latticework are formed by a number of successive individual bows arranged at a distance from each other. It is possible to attach successive bows on the sectional rail so that they butt against each other, or to space them in some other suitable way. The bows may be made from a short piece of round or flat sectional material, specifically rebar, by means of bending. The bow may be of random shape as long as its contour is such that the bow contacts the lower chord with two sections that are at a distance from each other. Not counting the side associated with the lower chord, the contour of the bow, in a closed or open configuration, may be angular and/or round. The preferred shape is an appreciably trapezoidal design where one base and two ends of the bow, which is open on one side, run parallel to the lower chord and are connected with each other by means of two diagonals. The diagonals of the bow are inclined relative to the base and the ends. In principle, however, the diagonals may also be orthogonal to said ends. The ends of the bow that are inclined relative to the diagonals run parallel to the base of the bow, but with each extending away from the opposite diagonal. Advantageously, the bow is attached to the lower chord with its ends.

It is an advantage if the sectional rail is a U-shaped section whose limbs extend in the direction of the latticework, or in the opposite direction. A U-shaped section whose limbs extend in the direction of the latticework can be used for panel-type insulating mats or foam insulating panels, and can be attached to any place on the insulating panels with an adhesive. A U-shaped section whose limbs extend in the opposite direction of the latticework offer the possibility of an improved positive connection and a precise positioning of the holding element if the limbs are inserted in matching grooves of the insulating panel, or, as an alternative, are foamed in. An attachment of this type ensures a uniform distribution of the holding forces. In place of two limbs the sectional rail can have more or less limbs or edges pointing in the opposite direction of the latticework for the purpose of engaging into corresponding dedicated grooves of the insulating panel.

In one embodiment of the invention, the bow of the holding element is made by bending a sectional bar, with at least three, preferably four bending points that determine at least two segments that run transversely to the lower chord, and preferably at least two segments that run in the direction of the lower chord. Here, the segments running transversely to the lower chord, usually also called diagonals, have preferably the same angle of inclination relative to the segments extending in the direction of the lower chord. The segments that are parallel to the lower chord include a base connecting the diagonals and also the free ends of the bow that extend away from the diagonals. It is also possible for the diagonals to have different angles of inclination. Depending on the distance from first bending points of the bow that determine the length of the base, and on second bending points that determine the length of the ends of the bow, the angle of inclination of the diagonals changes. Depending on the distance, the diagonals of a bow may be parallel to each other, or form an acute or obtuse angle with the base. Also, the diagonals may be connected with each other via a single bending point so that a base does not exist. But even in this special case, the diagonals may form an acute or an obtuse angle with each other.

Preferably, the lower chord and/or the latticework of the holding element proposed by the invention are made of metal, plastic, or a composite material. The use of other materials is also possible. The holding element may be made of one piece, or may be assembled from components made of the same or different materials.

Specifically, steel may be selected as the material for the sectional rail and the latticework of the holding element so that the latticework can be joined to the sectional rail in a particularly simple way by means of welding. The U-shaped section may be made in simple fashion by bending cold-rolled steel strip, and the bow by bending a round bar. For an especially low weight of the holding element while ensuring sufficient stability, a strip with a width of 100 millimeters (mm) and a thickness of 1 mm, and rebar with a diameter of 5 mm are suitable materials. This makes it possible to manufacture an inexpensive holding element of any length in a simple manner; in addition, it can be cut to length quickly and with simple means. A base width of approximately 80 mm between the limbs, and a limb length of 10 mm each appear to be appropriate dimensions for the U-shaped section.

The holding element proposed by the invention is preferably arranged within an insulating element, comprising at least one insulating panel and one or more fixing elements in terms of the inventive holding element, being particularly attached one-sided to the insulating panel perpendicular to a flat surface, at which the holding elements are placed at a distance from each other. Furthermore spacers are arranged at the far ends of the holding elements facing away from the insulation panel.

The new holding element can also be used within the insulating element together with at least one reinforcing mat. In this case the mat is attached to the holding elements at a distance from the insulation panel, whereas the spacers are preferably arranged on that side of the reinforcing mat that is facing away from the insulating panel.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the holding elements are glued to the insulating panel. This permits a simple and fast attachment of the holding elements to the insulating panel.

Once being attached to the insulating panel the holding elements form an unreinforced insulation element, for example for an insulated prefabricated wall made of concrete and insulation, or in combination with the reinforcing mat a reinforced insulation element. Such an insulation element can be moved and transported as a whole so that it can be inserted on the construction site between vertical forms. However, the reinforced insulating element can also be manufactured and/or further processed at the factory or at the construction site. It can be placed vertically either into existing prefab forms or into site-built forms with vertical form cavities. Of course, the (un)reinforced insulating element can also be inserted flat into a horizontal form, open on top, for a thermal composite wall.

Into an essentially vertical form cavity, the insulating element may be inserted upright from above, or, while the form is still open on one side, from the side, before the form cavity is closed laterally. Before the concrete of the prefabricated wall is poured, the insulating element is held in place inside the form in such a way that the spacers of the insulating element rest on the form panels. This makes it possible to manufacture a prefabricated wall with one-sided insulation or with a core-arranged insulation in a vertical position, while the free form cavity between the inserted insulating element and the form panels into which the holding elements and if present the reinforcing mat intrude is filled with concrete from above.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, respectively at least one holding element is arranged within the insulating element both sided of the insulating panel among stabilization elements, said stabilization elements surmounting the two flat surfaces of the insulating panel. These stabilization elements can be executed in the form of carrying anchors, torsion anchors and U-shaped bonding needles acting as fixation of the entire wall in order to counteract changes by variations in temperature.

Below, the invention is explained in detail with the help of an embodiment shown in the drawing. Additional characteristics of the invention can be found in the following description of the embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the Claims and the attached drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures of the drawing show a schematic view of the holding element.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an insulated solid concrete wall made with the holding element proposed by the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the holding element from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a section of the holding element from FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a vertical section (FIG. 4 a) and a horizontal section (FIG. 4 b) of a reinforced insulating element for a onesided thermally insulated composite wall;

FIG. 5 shows a vertical section (FIG. 5 a) and horizontal section (FIG. 5 b) of a reinforced insulating element for a core insulated composite wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a solid concrete wall 2 that is insulated on the outside by means of a number of insulating panels 1 and has an inner shell 3 where a concrete core 4 of cured site concrete is located between the insulating panels 1 and the inner shell 3. The solid concrete wall 2 extends upward from a bottom plate 5 with which it is connected by means of the reinforcement 6. A flat reinforcing lattice that is commonly installed in the concrete core 4, parallel to the insulating panels 1 and the inner shell 3, is not shown in the drawing.

The holding element 7 that is essentially T-shaped as shown in FIG. 2 is embedded in the concrete core 4 with its latticework 8 consisting of a lattice 9 of successive undulations. The lattice 9 is formed by a number of individual bows 10 that are arranged one behind the other. The bows 10, shown enlarged in FIG. 3, have an essentially trapezoidal contour that is open on one side. The holding elements 7 extend parallel to each other from a lower edge 11, resting on the bottom plate 5, to an upper edge 12 of the insulating panels 1.

As the FIGS. 2, 3 show, the holding element 7 consists of a sectional rail 13 forming the lower chord and of the lattice 9 formed by the bows 10. The sectional rail 13 is U-shaped, and FIG. 2 shows that the limbs 14 of the sectional rail 13 engage grooves 15 of the insulating panel 1, and that a web 16 between the limbs 14 of the sectional rail 13 contacts the insulating panel 1. The latticework 8 is arranged perpendicular to the web 16 and extends all the way to the inner shell 3 of the solid concrete wall 2. It braces the inner shell 3 as well as the insulating panels 1 relative to each other.

The bow 10 shown in FIG. 3 is made from round bar stock that is cut to length as required by the size of the bow, and is then bent in several places. After bending, on the side that is distant from the sectional rail 13, the round bar 17 has first bending points 18 and, on the side close to the sectional rail 13, second bending points 19. On the side facing the sectional rail 13, the bow 10 is open. The bending points 18, 19 determine the lengths of the diagonals 20, 21, of a base 22, and of the ends 23 of the bow 10. The base 22 connects the diagonals 20, 21 between the first bending points 18. The ends 23 that are determined by the second bending points 19, are bent in the opposite direction and extend parallel to the base 22. With its ends 23, the bow 10 is welded to the web 16 of the sectional rail 13.

The diagonals 20, 21 are inclined relative to the base 22 and the ends 23. The angle of inclination 24 is approximately 110° in the embodiment shown here. However, a different inclination may be selected for the diagonals 20, 21, or their individual inclinations may be different. While retaining the angle of inclination 24, bows 10 of different heights, with diagonals of different lengths, may be produced. This way, it is simple to adapt the bow 10 to different desirable thicknesses of the concrete core 4.

Typically, 1.0×100 mm steel strip is used for the sectional rail 13, and round steel bar with a diameter of 5 mm for the bow 10. This allows minimum bending radii of 1.0 mm for the limbs 14 of the sectional rail 13, and of approximately 7 to 8 mm for the diagonals 20, 21 of the bow 10. Depending on the desired thickness of the concrete core 4, the angle of inclination 24 and/or the length of the base 22 between the bending points 18 and/or the distance of the second bending points 19 from each other and/or the lengths of the diagonals 20, 21 may vary. However, it is advantageous to keep the lengths of the ends 23 short—typically 20 to 25 mm—and the same for all bow heights.

FIGS. 4 a, 4 b show a reinforced insulating element 25 for an insulated wall 2 made of concrete and insulation. The reinforced insulating element 25 comprises several firm insulating panels 1 from usual damming materials connected with each other and several holding elements 7. Said holding elements 7 are attached onesided to the insulating panel 1 perpendicular to a flat surface 26, at which the holding elements 7 are placed at a distance from each other. At the far ends of the holding elements 7, spacers 28 are arranged facing away from the insulation panel 1. The spacers 28 are arranged at the basis 22 of the holding element 1 and keep the insulating element 25 staying away from the concrete surface of the finished wall 2. The holding elements 7 are bonded by an adhesive between the lower chord 13 and the flat surface 26. For the improvement of the connection of the holding element 7 and the insulating panel 1 grooves 26 are designed on the surface 26 into which edges 14 of the lower chord 13 are engaging. Some of the holding elements 7 are placed at the edges of the insulation panels 1 in order to clamp adjoining panels 1. The framework 8 of the holding element 7 consists of a usual lattice armoring 9 extending away perpendicularly from the respective lower chord 13. Between the holding elements 7 reinforcing mats 27 are arranged, angled essentially parallel to the insulating panels 1.

FIGS. 5 a, 5 b show another reinforced insulating element 25′ for a core-dammed sandwich wall 2, which exhibits both sides of the insulating panel 1 the same the structure as described in connection with FIG. 4. Same parts are marked with same reference numbers, independent therefrom that the resulting wall thicknesses are different. Additionally within this version stabilization elements (29, 30, 31) are executed in the form of carrying anchors 29 and torsion anchors 30. Additionally U-shaped bonding needles 31 are arranged within the insulating panels 1. The stabilization elements (29, 30, 31) are surmounting both flat sides of the insulating panel 1 and act as fixation of the entire wall in a commonly used manner being familiar to a specialist in order to counteract changes by variations in temperature.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that equivalents and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. The present invention includes all such equivalents and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the following claims. 

1. A holding element for an insulating panel of an insulated wall made of concrete and insulation, the holding element comprising a lower chord and latticework connected with the lower chord, where the lower chord is intended for attachment to the insulating panel and the latticework for embedding in the concrete core, wherein the lower chord comprises a sectional rail from which the latticework extends perpendicularly.
 2. A holding element according to claim 1, wherein the latticework has a lattice formed by successive undulations.
 3. A holding element according to claim 2, wherein the undulations of the lattice are formed by a number of individual, preferably trapezoidal bows that are arranged at a distance from each other and are open on one side.
 4. A holding element according to claim 1, wherein the sectional rail is a U-shaped section.
 5. A holding element according to claim 3, wherein each bow is formed of a bent sectional bar and has at least three, but preferably 4 bending points that determine at least two sections extending transversely to the lower chord and at least two sections extending in the same direction as the lower chord.
 6. A holding element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the lower chord or the latticework (8) is made of metal, plastic, or a composite material.
 7. An insulating element, the insulating element comprising at least one insulating panel and at least one holding element in accordance with claim 1, the at least one holding element being particularly attached to the insulating panel on at least one side perpendicular to a flat surface, at which the at least one holding element is placed at a distance from any adjacent holding element, where at the far ends of the at least one holding element spacers are arranged facing away from the insulation panel.
 8. An insulating element according to claim 7, wherein the at least one holding element is arranged within the insulating element together with at least one reinforcing mat being attached to the at least one holding element at a distance from the insulation panel, whereas the spacers are arranged on the side of the reinforcing mat that is facing away from the insulating panel.
 9. An insulating element according to claim 7, wherein the at least one holding element is glued to the insulating panel.
 10. An insulating element according to claim 7, wherein the at least one holding element includes holding elements respectively arranged within the insulating element on both sides of the insulating panel among stabilization elements surmounting the two flat surfaces of the insulating panel. 